The first half hour of a strategy workshop: who speaks first decides
In a mock-jury study, a juror who had privately voted not guilty, at the highest level of confidence, gave it up in about a second, because of when he was asked. Strategy offsites can work the same way. Get every view on paper before the most powerful person speaks, and agree how the room will decide before it starts.
Transcript
The strategy offsite. The CEO opens with her view of the market. The head of the largest unit agrees. By ten o'clock there is a consensus. And the manager who knows a competitor just cut prices decides it is not the moment.
In one of Reid Hastie's mock-jury studies, jurors wrote their verdicts privately first. Then came a straw vote. Jurors 1, 2 and 3 said second-degree murder. Juror 4 had privately voted not guilty, at the highest confidence. He paused and said: second degree. Asked why: Oh, it's just obviously second degree.
He gave up his view in about a second, because of when he was asked. So the first half hour of a workshop is about order. Get every view on paper before the most powerful person speaks.
Then decide what the day is for. Michael Mankins surveyed top teams at 187 companies. More than 65% of their meetings were for sharing information or discussion. Only 12% of executives said meetings consistently produced decisions on important issues.
Ask: what will exist at the end of the day that does not exist now? Facts and options, a decision, or a plan. If the stakes are high, do not generate options and choose among them in one sitting.
The opening moves. The day before, agree with the CEO when she will speak: last. In the room, write up the question, the output, who decides, and how. If the decider is there, they confirm it out loud.
Then write before talking. Everyone writes their own view in silence first. To widen it, a structure called one, two, four, all takes about 15 minutes: 1 alone, 2 in pairs, 5 in fours, then about 7 with the room.
An invented insurer, run twice. In version one, the CEO opens on why direct sales are the future, and by mid-morning the room is planning the move. The head of claims mentions data on lower claims costs for broker-sold policies once. Nobody asks again. In version two, everyone writes first, claims is asked for loss experience by channel, and the CEO speaks last. The data changes the debate. The group chooses a hybrid.
The fair objection: this is theater, and executives are paid to decide. Nothing here replaces a decider; the opening names one. These moves make sure the decider hears what the group knows.
Before your next workshop: write what will exist at the end. Name the decider and the rule. Agree that the boss speaks last. Plan silent writing before every discussion that matters. Every leadership team has a juror 4. Ask him before the others answer.
